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Sabrina

Haircare

T3 Featherweight Compact Dryer + SinglePass Compact Flat Iron Set – Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusive 2015

July 22, 2015

I picked up the T3 Compact Styling Set ($150, limited-edition set) from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. It’s a two-piece value set that comes with the Featherweight Compact Folding Dryer (retails separately for $150) and SinglePass Compact Flat Iron (retails separately for $79). I’ve had the compact dryer on my wishlist for a while and the sale helped me pull the trigger. Both are very compact and perfect for travel or if you have limited space in your bathroom. I’ve been testing both for a few days and have comparisons to other styling hair tools that I currently own.

The T3 Featherweight Compact Dryer is really well designed. It comes in a simple sleek black design with a removable nozzle. I like that it’s lightweight but still has a lot of power. The noise level is minimal, it’s designed with a quiet motor which you can still hear but it’s not as loud as others that I’ve tried. The handle absorbs vibration from the motor which is nice so it’s not bothersome if you have to dry your hair for an extended amount of time. It comes with 2 speeds and 2 heat settings along with a cool shot option. I have thick hair that gets frizzy without any hair treatment (product or styling tool) so it takes a long time for me to dry my hair. Dry time with this one was fairly quick – about 15 to 20 minutes when dried in sections.

I photographed the dryer in my hands so you could get a sense of the size. It’s small and compact but not too small. I like that it has a folding option which makes it nice for travel or storage. (On the nails is Chanel Le Vernis in Chataigne, new for fall.)

I now own three hair dryers with this purchase: T3 Featherweight Compact Folding Dryer, Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer and a mini from Original & Mineral. The best ones I’ve owned were from Solano, in particular the Supersolano which is hands down well worth the price – it makes the hair ultra sleek and shiny and doesn’t overheat the hair. I went through two and after my second one died (after about 6 years) I decided to try new things. I wish I hadn’t because they are just so good.
Onto the ones I own. I’ve had the Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer for quite some time and really like it. It dries the hair nicely, it’s large but not heavy, noise level isn’t too loud and it comes in a fun bright yellow color. Since it’s a larger dryer there is more room for options. It has three temperature settings, two speeds and self-lock cool shot so you don’t have to hold it down with your thumb.

I bought the Original & Mineral one that came in a Net-A-Porter set which is super cute and compact. It has a lot of power for something that tiny, but unfortunately the design is very simplistic and the handle doesn’t absorb any vibrations so you can feel it in your hand. It does a good job at drying the hair quickly though which is nice.

The T3 Compact Dryer has less power compared to the Drybar, but more power than the O&M. I’ve brought the Drybar one with me on trips although it does take up a lot of space. The T3 is much more travel-friendly. It’s also dual voltage 125V/250V for worldwide use while the Drybar option is 100V/120V and requires a step-down converter + adapter.

Close ups of the options:

The T3 SinglePass Compact Flat Iron is basically a free add-on with the Nordstrom Anniversary Set. I purchased the SinglePass Straightening Iron (full size) a number of years ago and hated it. It left my hair frizzy and made it look fried. Based on the number of rave reviews on the compact version, I decided to give it a try since the set came at a really good price. The SinglePass Compact Flat Iron performs much better than the Full Size (maybe I had a dud), but I would say for me it doesn’t really live up to the name “single pass.” It takes at least two passes per section for my super thick hair but it does leave the hair shiny, sleek and smooth. I could probably section off smaller amounts of hair but it would take 3 times longer to straighten everything. The iron is really well designed and comes with a cap which I wish all flat irons came with.

Comparisons to two other flat irons I own. GHD Bird of Paradise is a full-size flat iron that measures 26.5 cm long with plates that are 2.4 cm x 9 cm. I’ve had this since December of last year and really like it although out of all the flat irons I’ve owned, the HAI Ceramic Convertible Iron is hands down the best one I’ve tried (mine died after I dropped it on a hard surface, but it lasted 4 years before it stopped working).

The CHI Smart Titanium Ceramic Travel Iron is fairly new to me. I received this one at a QVC event a few weeks ago and really like it. I can’t find the temperature listing anywhere but I was told it heats up to 390 degrees. This one measures 22 cm long with plates that are 2 cm x 7.5 cm. For my hair it does a better job at straightening with a single stroke but it is very small so it takes longer to straighten my hair.

The T3 SinglePass Compact Flat Iron by comparison heats up to 410 degrees. It’s similar in size to the CHI. The T3 Compact Iron is 22 cm long with plates that are 2 cm wide x 7.8 cm long.

I’m overall really pleased with the set. I had the Compact Dryer on my wishlist and the Flat Iron with this set was an added bonus. I really like the Dryer – it performs well, it’s compact and well designed. It will be my travel dryer for all my upcoming trips.

For the flat iron I have mixed feelings. With any travel sized flat iron I think it should be expected that it won’t work the same as a full sized flat iron for my super thick hair. The T3 SinglePass Compact Flat Iron works well but it takes more time for me to straighten my hair compared to ones from GHD and HAI. Out of the two travel flat irons I featured, I have a slight preference for the CHI, although the two are very close in performance. The T3 has a more visually pleasing design and the cap is an added bonus for me (even though many brands have an extra storage or carrying case for travel).

That being said I have close friends who are die-hard loyal fans of T3 and swear by the line. Since I don’t need two travel flat irons, I will probably be regifting this one to a friend.

The T3 Compact Styling Set retails for $150 and is currently a Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Exclusive (it’s a $229 value). In case you miss out on the sale this month, you can purchase the Featherweight Compact Dryer and SinglePass Compact Flat Iron individually. I give the compact dryer a huge thumbs up and the compact flat iron a semi-thumbs up mainly because I am super picky about flat irons in general, but it’s great for the size and travel purposes.

Did you check out the T3 Styling Set from the sale? Do you have any T3 favorites? If not what are your favorite styling tools?

The CHI flat iron was gifted as a press sample. All other items purchased by me.

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Eye Makeup Urban Decay

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette

July 21, 2015

The latest addition to Urban Decay’s Naked line is the Naked Smoky Palette ($54 for 12 shadows 1.3g each + a dual ended brush). I think it’s a glorious palette and am completely over the moon with it. I had been counting the days to the release date as I’m a huge fan of all the Naked Eyeshadow Palettes (yes, all of them). When I saw previews I was worried this might be too cool-toned for my olive skin. I usually need a mix of some warm shadows otherwise colors look very grey on me. The Naked Smoky Palette has a really good mix of neutral and cool shades, all of which layer beautifully together.

Naked Smoky has 12 shades in a magnetic mirrored compact. Out of all the Naked 12 Pan Palettes, this release has the best packaging. It’s sleek with a super modern look and sturdy feel. The brush is also the best one I’ve tried out of the three palettes I own. One end has a small domed tip which is really quite incredible for applying the darker shades along the upper lashes. The other end is fluffy and picks up a good amount of product and blends nicely.

The shades range from high shimmers, one glitter, a few satiny shimmer shades, and four matte colors. All the Urban Decay colors I’ve tried (palettes and singles) are typically very soft and feel buttery smooth when you apply them. They’re almost like velvet and sometimes there is a bit of debris that can fall off the brush but once color is on the lid it stays put. The textures in this palette seem to be a bit harder than most other Urban Decay shadows I’ve tried making some of them colors a bit sheerer on their own, but pigment and quality is still very good.
  • High is a highly pigmented pretty champagne beige shimmer (it’s a bit darker and less pink than Sin)
  • Dirtysweet is a pigmented warm copper tan frost with shimmer flecks (it’s like Half Baked but a bit more muted)
  • Radar is semi-sheer warm bronze shimmer, texture is bit harder compared to the others making it a bit sheer but this one still has good pigment
  • Armor is the only glitter shade, it’s a glorious grey taupe shimmer with silver glitter flecks, there is fall out when you apply it (it will fall off the brush) but once it’s on the lids, it stays put
  • Slanted is a sheer silver with a blue undertone, it makes a lovely sheer wash or a good blending color to soften the darker colors, if you want a high impact silver you might find this lacking
  • Dagger is a satin grey black, there’s a tiny bit of shimmer, but it looks more matte on me, it also has a hard texture but I like this applied with a detail brush over eyeliner to intensify a smoky look

  • Black Market is a muted black satin, this one is also harder in texture making it a softer smoky black, I like to use it with the small end of the Smoky brush to create a blurred line across the upper lash line, it’s a black that is goof-proof if you apply in small strokes
  • Smolder is a medium pigmented deep purple shimmer, this one works best over a creamy primer or creamy eyeshadow as a base to help bring out the color
  • Password is a matte grey brown with a smooth texture, I like layering this on top of other shadows to create a soft smoky gradiant
  • Whiskey is a warm matte brown that an ultra smooth texture
  • Combust is a greyed mauve pink matte which is so pretty on the lids
  • Thirteen is a super pigmented pale matte pink

I pulled the other three Naked Palettes for comparisons of the colors and brushes:

Swatched on Chanel Beige 40 skin:

Brush comparisons:

Eye swatches below with High all over the lids, Dirty Sweet + Armor layered and a tiny bit of Black Market applied wet as a liner over Zero 24/7 Eyeliner

Based on feedback on other reviews I’ve done on the Urban Decay Naked
Palettes, I think your mileage may vary depending on your shimmer preferences.
Many of the shades in the palettes have a frost or metallic finish but I
find them very wearable for even conservative makeup lovers. That being
said if you can’t wear shadows with a lot of shimmer, I
recommend the Naked Basics, Naked2 Basics or Edward Bess Matte Artiste if you want a good palette of neutrals.

Out of the four 12-pan Naked Palettes, my favorites are still tied between Naked2 and Naked3. The new Naked Smoky is quite amazing and since I really like the others I find it a must-have even though I could probably create something similar by mixing and layering the others. That being said the colors are unique and I like that there are no repeat shades in this palette compared to the other ones. I almost always bring one of the Naked Palettes with me when I travel – I find them versatile and I think the neutral beige/tan shimmers are really pretty. Each palette has enough colors to take a look from day to night, for any occasion. The look I did above is super natural with the lighter shades, but you can layer the darker colors for a smoky look. I give this one a huge thumbs up – it’s the perfect naked version of a smoky palette.

You can find the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette at all Urban Decay retailers now. I ordered mine online from Urban Decay. You can also find it at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta and Macy’s.

Have you tried this yet? Do you have a favorite Naked Palette?

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Rescue Beauty Lounge Bloggers’ 3.0 Collection

July 20, 2015

Rescue Beauty Lounge has teamed up with five amazing nail bloggers Makeup Withdrawal, Manicurator, Peachy Polish, Refined and Polished and Warmvanillasugar0823 to create a new collection of nail polishes. I received news that these launched while I was away last month and was thrilled to come home to a lovely package from Rescue Beauty Lounge. As usual – the colors Ji mixed up are stunning and unique with flawless application.

The five colors are designed by:

Morning Light from Yukie Loves

Morning Light from Yukie of Warmvanillasugar0823 is a light baby blue with a finely milled shimmer infused throughout. It has full smooth coverage with two coats. I like that it’s a baby blue but has a lot of color in it so it doesn’t look too pastel on the nails. The inspiration behind her creation:

“Periwinkle/Forget-me-not blue was one of my dad’s favorite colors. He used that tone a lot in his paintings before he passed away. I love it paired with a soft, golden shimmer or micro glitter. This painting, called Morning Light, inspired the polish. A light, cool blue, with a bit of pale gold light coming through.”

Peachypolish.com from Peachy Polish is an amazing metallic plum. It’s metallic in finish but has an ultra smooth application free of visible brush strokes. The creation of this color went through several variations. According to Ji:

“Valesha gave me very specific color directions and yes, you read this right, she sent me numerous submissions because some of them were technically impossible. Nevertheless, I’m just thrilled that we went in this direction, a new one for the RBL family; we have nothing like this color AT ALL. If you took a combination of raspberries, strawberries and blackberries, mushed and mixed them together and topped this mixture with gold, pink, blue and orange shimmering powders, what you would get is this elegant color. It’s not too dark, not too light, but an elusive medium tone that speaks to everyone. With a streak-less satin finish that’s a dream to apply, this one is definitely a new RBL classic.”

Manicurator is one of the best teal nail colors I’ve tried. It’s a mix of teal, aqua green and baby blue which makes it more wearable for me compared to other bright teals but that being said I do think Rescue Beauty Lounge makes the best blues out there. Manicurator reminds me of a summer vacation. I adore this one. It has a tiny bit of iridescent shimmer flecks inside. Application is smooth and flawless. The inspiration from Victoria came from a moodboard she created:

“All the Turks & Caicos photos are my own! I included the RBL shimmers I adore. I’d like it to be a light, dusty aqua base with a mix of your famous fantastic shimmer :D”

According to Ji:

“Who can argue with the color of lovely, tantalizing island water all-year round? A wee bit darker then our beloved Bikini Bottom, this color has a hint of a green overtone in this fantastical crème-jelly hybrid formula. And of course, like the waters by Turks & Caicos which brilliantly shimmer in the sultry sunlight, this polish is jammed-packed with micro-blue, purple, and green shimmers that will mesmerize.”

Refined and Polished is a stunning peachy orange cream that has blue and silver glitters inside. I’ve never seen a mix as interesting as this one. The blue glitters are visible on the nail (swatched in this post holding the Anya Hindmarch case here). Per Lakeisha from Refined and Polished:

“My dream polish would be coral (more peach or orange-leaning, but not red) with turquoise and gold glass flecks or shimmer. This is a timeless combo that works so well for clothing, accessories, and makeup.”

Makeupwithdrawal is a deep indigo violet jelly cream with multi-colored shimmers mixed in. With two coats the color is almost 100% opaque but the jelly texture makes it semi-transparent. It’s very smooth and applies easily on the nail without streaks. Even though it’s stunning in the bottle, it looks even more incredible on the fingers. Per Mimi from Makeup Withdrawal:
“My perfect shade would be almost if Piu Mosso and IKB 2012 had a child. Not quite as inky as Piu Mosso or as creme-like in its finish, but with some of IKB’s vibrant jelly-like properties (but more purple). I picture it containing large gold particles instead of Piu Mosso’s fine, coppery shimmer. In fact, perhaps even bigger than the gold flakes in Naked Without Polish, but sparse enough to not overwhelm the base color. I am imaging a color that is regal, guilty of hubris (that is, if a color could even be accused of such a thing), something simply exquisite like a lapis lazuli gold filigree necklace.”

One last roundup:

Bottom line all shades are winners. I’m not a fan of glitter polishes but even Refined and Polished is amazing. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite because they are all amazing. Manicurator is the prettiest teal sea green blue, Peachypolish.com is the perfect metallic soft plum wine, Morning Light is an amazing baby blue, Makeupwithdrawl is deep plum jelly perfection.

For other swatches be sure to check out Fashion Polish, Refined and Polished, Kellie Gonzo, Polish Police (along with comparison swatches), Yukie Loves, Makeup Withdrawal, Peachy Polish, and Manicurator. Each color retails for $20 available exclusively at Rescue Beauty Lounge.

These polishes were provided courtesy of Rescue Beauty Lounge.

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Summer Loves + Weekend Reads

July 19, 2015
 
Above: Summer hat by J.Crew, Pouch by Truffle, Blanket by SEVI, iPhone 5 case by Gray Malin (iPhone 6 versions available here), Sunglasses Marc by Marc Jacobs, cheeks Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick and Edward Bess Afterglow Highlighter

We’ve had a few days of on and off rain storms here in Southern California. We’ve had record breaking rain in the past few days, I don’t remember ever seeing this much rain in July before. I was able to enjoy the sun in the park for a few hours earlier today before it started to pour again. We had clear blue skies for a good part of the morning so I was hopeful that it would be sunny the remainder of the day. Here are a few things I’ve been loving:
For lips I’ve been loving the YSL Pop Water Glossy Stains (swatches of my picks here) and the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector Sticks (review to be posted soon). Both products give the lips a lush glossy tint which I’m obsessed with for summer.
I’ve mentioned in a few posts I was looking for a good face sunscreen. My go-to is still the Chanel UV Essential SPF 50 because it’s super thin in texture and doesn’t feel heavy. I find layering it over my regular moisturizer and under foundation works really well. Many other sunscreens are too heavy.

Two others I’ve been loving are from First Aid Beauty. The Ultra Repair® Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 40 is a really good one for sensitive skin. A little goes a long way so I’d recommend using sparingly. It doesn’t slide into my eyes when I sweat. The 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 is also really good but it’s more moisturizing compared to the other one. 

My husband’s favorite body sunscreen is the Jack Black Sun Guard SPF 45 because of the high SPF and because it’s water resistant. We bought the travel size 3-pack for travel. He also likes the smaller sizes for carrying to the beach or the park. I’ve been really liking the Supergoop! Oil Spray.

I’ve been testing a number of foundations. Over the last month I’ve gotten a few shades darker because of our travels through Europe. I thought it would be a good time to test out some new formulas. I’ll have a roundup in the next couple of weeks. I’ve been testing the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint in Medium and it’s a really good sheer no-makeup kind of makeup. It has enough coverage to even out the skin but is on the sheer side so it looks super natural. I wish I had this with me last month while traveling.

Last but not least, a few blog posts I’ve really enjoyed: RaeView shares her travels in Tokyo with a new vlog, Café Makeup takes on along her travels on a Paris Beauty Crawl, Really Ree has sneak peek swatches of fall releases from Tom Ford Beauty (I need everything).

I’m working my way through swatching my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale picks, Chanel Fall Beauty (I think the four new Stylo Yeuxs are must-haves), the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eye Palette and new Charlotte Tilbury. What are you loving right now?
Press samples were provided by Truffle, First Aid Beauty, Clarins and Glossier for review. All other items purchased by me.

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Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks

July 17, 2015

I’ve been browsing items from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for a few days now. I stopped by my local store for Early Access last week to take a quick peek and bought two of the beauty exclusives from MAC and Dior. Since things looked like they were selling out quickly I stopped by my local store again today – there were a lot of things I had on my list that sold out including the Deborah Lippmann Undressed Set and YSL Rock Attitude Glossy Stain. If you see something on your radar I recommend you order online or visit your store as soon as you can.

Beauty Exclusives I picked up include the Dior Eye Reviver Palette in Rosy Nordy Girl and the Vernis in Majesty (peach). They also had some of the fall collection out, I picked up the Cosmopolite Nail Polish (muted plum).

I think the best value find for me is the T3 Compact Styling Set which is priced at $150. The Compact Folding Dryer is $150 by itself so with this Nordstrom set you basically get the flat iron for free. I love that the dryer will fold into a more compact size. If I could have only bought one thing from the sale, this would be it (they are boxed together).

MAC seemed to be selling through their sets faster than usual at the store. I picked up the MAC Look in a Box Pretty Natural Lip Kit that has Subculture Lipliner, Pretty Natural Lipstick and Feeling Fine Lipglass. I picked up mine during early access. Today my local store was completely sold out. It seems to have sold out online too but right now just came back. If you missed out – order soon, or keep the link bookmarked. It keeps popping back in stock. I’m a sucker for a good nude pink lipstick. Subculture Lipliner is a staple neutral I think everyone should own anyways.

Palettes are always big during the sale. I picked up three palettes, two are gifts for friends but I think now I want them too.  The Chanel Travel Palette is something I picked up for a friend. It has the Les Beiges Powder 20, a blush, five eye colors, lip colors, mini brushes and a small mascara. I am not a fan of compacts that don’t have separators for cream and powder – I can see this one becoming a mess. Still it’s really pretty and the pink blush and lips are so so gorgeous.

Lorac has the best priced deal with a $15 The Skinny Black Eyeshadow Palette. I bought this because it’s a steal – how can anyone resist? My store had about 20 or so left on the floor display – there seemed to be a lot left.

For me, I picked up the new MAC Nordstrom’s Finest Exclusive 15 Pan. It’s not a Anniversary Sale Exclusive, but my associate said it’s a Nordstrom Exclusive (kinda confusing to me). I’m sure it has a lot of repeats for me because I already own a lot of singles but the convenience of having everything in one palette is appealing.

There seemed to be a lot of new fall items trickling in. Armani had a display unit for the new powder foundation but it didn’t have any product inside, nor did they have anything to sell. I’m hoping it will launch soon because I’m eager to test it out. I did pick up a few Fluid Sheers, left to right is 14, 17 and 18. It’s been a while since I last checked out anything from Armani but I’ve been told 17 and 18 are new.

All of Chanel Fall is now in store and online. I picked up a few items last week from Saks. Today I picked up a few more items including the three Le Vernis shades in Vert Obscur, Ecorce Sanguine and Chataigne. There are two new eye palettes: Tisse D’Automne Quadra Eyeshadow and a new Les 5 Ombre Eyeshadow Palette. I hope to swatch this weekend and have reviews soon.

I ran out of some nail care products so I restocked on the Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil (purple) and Cuticle Remover (white). I picked up her new All About That Base base coat.

Last but not least I picked up three clothing items – I ordered mine online and they arrived a few days ago. Rag and Bone Theo Pullover is a super soft black v-neck sweater. I find sizing in brands these days all over the place for tops. For most Rag and Bone I am an XS – this sweater fits nicely but has a slightly loose feel. It’s not too large on me but the look is slightly more relaxed than what the model shows. I ordered a Splendid Jersey Wrap Robe which runs true to size. I also ordered these J Brand Mid-Rise Skinny Jeans.

Did you pick up anything from the sale? Or are you planning to shop the sale this weekend? What did you end up picking out? I keep forgetting to stop by the shoes section – although since it’s summer I can’t get into the mood for boots.

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Dior Vernis in Sundown 464

July 17, 2015

Above: Flip flops by Tory Burch, Sunglasses L Rayban, Sunglasses R Marc by Marc Jacobs, Pouch Fauré Le Page

I spotted a new nail summer polish in Paris at Sephora from Dior called Sundown #464. It’s a shade we didn’t get in the US but was released in other countries. It’s a bright summer pink with a hint of coral (no shimmer). I had this applied on the last week of our vacation – the manicurists used Deborah Lippmann for the base and top coat and my manicure lasted a full week after before tip wear started to occur. (For more swatches you may want to check out Color Me Loud.)

I took it with me to the beach in Mykonos to take photos. Below it’s swatched with two coats:

As soon as I got back home to California, I pulled some other shades to see if I could dupe it. My first instinct was to compare it to other Dior colors. I looked at all my Chanel Le Vernis nail colors as well to see what would be the closest. Dior Sundown is almost an exact dupe for Pasteque from many years ago (now discontinued). I ran out of fingers to swatch them on so I don’t have it shown below.

Dior Aventure (reviewed here)
Dior Wonderland (swatched here)
Dior Glory (discontinued, review here)
Chanel Le Top Coat (new for fall, review soon)

Swatch-wise, Dior Sundown is a 99% dupe for Chanel Tutti Frutti. The Dior is just the tiniest bit brighter in color, but the base and overall look from arms length is almost identical. Dior Wonderland is the next closest color but several shades lighter and more pink. Dior Aventure has a lot more orange and warmth making Sundown look almost pink next to it. Dior Glory by comparison looks red.

I’m a huge fan of Dior nail polishes. The application is flawless and smooth – once you try one you’ll be impressed with the brush shape and fluid texture. It’s really quite amazing. Lasting power is usually around 5-7 days without tip wear when I use either the regular Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme, Rescue Beauty Lounge or Dior Gel Top Coat.

Have you seen Dior Sundown? What did you think?
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France Hauls Travel

My Summer Haul from Europe

July 16, 2015

As promised I have a post today on the items I bought while traveling in Europe. Out of the ten cities we visited across France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, I did most of my shopping in Paris. At the top of my list was the Diptyque store on 34 Boulevard St. Germain. The store is so beautiful inside – I wish I could transport the entire store to my home. At the store I picked up two items including the Feuille de Lavande Room Spray and the Mousses Candle. I’ve burned through one Moss candle before as it’s available at the boutiques in the US but it suffered really bad tunneling because I didn’t burn it properly the first time (my candle care tips here). For the room sprays there were a number of unique scents. Cypress was really interesting and Mimosa was so pretty. I wish I had bought a few more – we only have three in the US (Figuier, Baies and 34).

First up for splurges are two picks from Fauré Le Page. I’ve been researching this brand via the Fauré Le Page Purse Forum. There are a number of helpful pictures, descriptions and other bits of information on everything Fauré Le Page. The pretty patterns of their bags caught my eye. It has a similar vibe to Goyard which I adore. In Paris I visited two locations: there is a stand alone boutique on Rue Cambon and also a store at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. I went in for just the Pochette 20 (currently 190 euros). They were very limited on stock for most of the colors, I was hoping for the blue and grey, but were out. The green one is pretty though so I left with one. A shoulder tote called Daily Battle caught my eye (small size I bought was 650 euros). There were two grey versions, one with a light beige-grey trim and one with the navy. It’s very sturdy and made of a thick canvas. The material is slightly textured and looks like it will hold up really well.

Below I’ve posted a comparison of the Daily Battle to a Goyard St. Louis Tote. In Paris the Daily Battle for the small size was priced at 650 euros which converts to a little over $700 making it much more affordable than the Goyard St. Louis totes (last I checked they were priced at $1,200-$1,600ish depending on color). The style is similar – open inside without any pockets and lined with canvas. The finish and textures are different though. The Goyard is thinner in material but still very sturdy. It also comes with a detatchable pouch. Fauré Le Page is thicker with an adjustable strap. There is a ring inside to attach items to but it does not come with a separate pouch inside. Measurements of the ones I have to compare:

Fauré Le Page Daily Battle (small)
17.5 inches wide
11.25 inches tall
base is about 6.25 inches x 12.25 inches
Goyard St. Louis PM
18 inches wide
11 inches tall
base is about 5.25 inches x 13 inches

For the Pochettes the smallest Fauré le Page makes is the Pochette 20 which measures about 6 inches tall by 8 inches wide. Goyard makes a smaller size (shown in black below). The comparable one in Goyard is the same width at 8 inches wide but is slightly shorter at 5.5 inches tall. I don’t remember what the prices were for Goyard, I bought mine a long time ago – I want to say the small one was around $300ish and the medium was at least double. The Fauré Le Page Pouch comes with a detachable wristlet strap and was priced at 190 euros.

At Hermes I picked up two Micro Rivale leather bracelets with the rose gold hardware. I have small wrists and it’s hard to find the leather bracelets in the XS size. Rose Gold is relatively new so I splurged on the ivory and teal leather. A sneaky photo from inside the store.

In Rome, I bought some small L’Occitane Bonne Mere cubes. I thought they were mini soaps but they’re actually bath cubes (oops). I still really like them and wish they were available in the US but the shower gels are just as good and I’ve repurchased the Rosemary and Oilive Oil ones several times over. At the French Pharmacies I was like a deer in headlights. I didn’t pick up a lot because we were traveling with carry on only. I picked up a small Bioderma Cleansing Water, Avene Cleanance Micellar Water for oily skin and a small Nuxe Hand Cream + Lip Balm duo. In the US you can find the travel size Bioderma Sensibio (same as the French Crealine) from Beautylish. The Nuxe Hand Cream + Lip Balm Duo is available online at Nuxe. I haven’t been able to find the Avene Cleanance Micellar Water in the US.

In Athens we picked up a Korres Sunscreen set with SPF 50. The Body Spray is very gentle but lasts a long time on the skin. The Face Cream Sunscreen is amazing as well. I haven’t been able to find the SPF versions in the US.

From Printemps, I picked up their exclusive Primavera Diptyque Candle (launched to celebrate their 150th anniversary) which smells like really sweet roses. I haven’t burned it yet but I’m in love with the white and pink packaging. From Chanel I picked up a few things exclusive to Europe. The Vitalumiere Loose Powder comes with a brush. I picked up three shades, 20, 30 and 40 (right now I’m a match to 40). It’s quite messy but gives enough coverage that you can use it alone instead of foundation or powder foundation. Also new in Paris is the Sublimage SPF 50 which is wonderful. It’s thicker than the UV Essential and acts more like a cream. It has the Sublimage skincare ingredients in it so it’s not just a sunscreen. I wish I had stocked up on a few more tubes while I was in Paris (it was 98 euros). For fragrances almost all the scents had multiple versions and sizes. They have the small concentrated parfum bottles – I was torn between three of them, they were on the pricey side because they are concentrates. I picked up Allure. From L’Artisan I bought a few items as gifts including a fragrance sampler set and the La Chasse Aux Papillons Rollerball (which you can find now at Sephora).

Sephora France was probably one of my favorite places to shop. I left with a few things, I’m surprised it was this limited. I picked up a Dior Nail Polish in Sundown and Addict Fluid Stick in Beige Passion (both of which don’t appear to be available in the US). I also picked up the Addict Fluid Stick in Ciel Rose which is a US color you can find at Sephora. In Paris they had these tiny empty clear containers in the travel section. I picked up several which I think will come in handy for future trips. Also at the check out line were these cute Craig and Karl hand creams. There were two other scents in Peony and Lagoon. I wish I had picked up a few as they had fun designs and prints on the cases. Two other items I picked up: the By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Lipstick in #3 Nude Pulp (you can find it in the US at Beautylish) and a Chanel Sublime Waterproof Mascara (not available in the US).

Last but not least, I brought home some chocolates, tea and jellies from Angelina and Laduree. A lot of the chocolates are already gone. I’m surprised there is still anything left after a couple of weeks but I’ve been rationing the hazelnut spreads. I may or may not have been hiding them from my husband.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my Europe haul! Next time I go, I will plan the shopping better and make sure I bring a proper suitcase so I can bring home more of the chocolates, teas and one of each of the Diptyque Room Sprays.

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